1. Field of The Invention
This invention generally relates to a coaxial connector with a switch and more particularly, to a coaxial connector that connects a peripheral device (e.g., an external antenna) to a main set (e.g., a cellular phone), wherein the coaxial connector has a switching function for activating an internal circuit (e.g., an antenna switching circuit) of the main set when the peripheral device is connected thereto.
2. Description of The Related Art
When connecting an external antenna to a cellular phone, the transmitting/receiving circuit of the cellular phone needs to be disconnected from its internal antenna, and instead, it must be connected to the external antenna. To this end, a cellular phone has a built-in switching circuit. As a connector for connecting the external antenna to the cellular phone, a coaxial connector with a switch is used. The coaxial connector with the switch activates the antenna switching circuit of the cellular phone when a connection is made.
FIG. 6 illustrates a conventional coaxial connector with a switch (which is also referred to as a receptacle). This coaxial connector has a central terminal 13 which looks like a long leaf spring. An outer terminal 5 and a switch terminal 7, which form the halves of a cylindrical shell divided along a longitudinal axis, surround the central terminal 13. When a plug (that is, a second connector) is inserted in the coaxial connector, the central terminal 13 comes into contact with a central terminal 33 of the plug, while the outer terminal 5 and the switch terminal 7 contact an outer terminal 35 of the plug, whereby the switch terminal 7 is electrically connected to the outer terminal 5 via the outer terminal 35 of the plug. At this time, the coaxial connector functions as a switch. Thus, the coaxial connector is of an electrical switching type.
However, because the outer terminal 5 and the switch terminal 7 are formed as half-shells of a cylinder, the conventional coaxial connector is inferior in high-frequency performance.
FIG. 7 illustrates another example of coaxial connector with a switch, which is of a mechanical switching type and does not require a switching circuit. Because the shape and configuration of the mechanical-switching type coaxial connector differs from the shaped configuration of an electrical-switching type coaxial connector, parts cannot be shared in common between the electrical and mechanical switching type coaxial connectors.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-223924 discloses a coaxial connector with a switch, in which a switch, that comprises both a leaf-spring type movable contact piece and a plate-type fixed contact piece, is provided separately from the connector main body, but is attached to the connector main body. When a plug is inserted into the connector main body, the movable contact piece is pressed against the plug, and is disconnected from the fixed contact piece, thereby functioning as a switch. However, this type of coaxial connector is likely to be large in size and thus, require a larger space for attaching the connector.